Thursday, April 9
Charlotte, N.C.
1:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
at
National Quarterfinals
Photo by: Ray Bahner
Falcons Open Action at NCBA Championships
4/9/2026 10:40:00 PM | Boxing
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Air Force boxing team split its quarterfinal card this evening [April 9], as it opened competition at the 2026 National Collegiate Boxing Association [NCBA] Championships in Charlotte, North Carolina. The women won their only quarterfinal bout of the night, while the men advanced four out of the opening round.
Sophomore Madei Soluren, the only member of the women's team to compete on Thursday, easily earned her spot in the semifinal round after she forced the referee into stopping her 125-pound contest with Utah's Genna van der Wal in the second round.
Sophomore Russell Klug and junior Ellison Taylor won their bouts over contenders from Army West Point in unanimous fashion, as Klug swept the judges' votes in his 132-pound win over Brandon Freeman and Taylor received all the scorecards in his 165-pound contest with Elijah Gates. Overall, Air Force collected three victories over the Black Knights, as junior Noah Gilley earned a split decision win over Santos Riccardi in a 147-pound bout. Senior Neo Takazawa rounded out the Falcons' list of first-round winners, as he captured the split-decision win over Penn State's Donovan Quinn in the 156-pound bracket.
Five other Falcons also competed on Thursday, as they represented the Academy at the national championships. Senior KJ Jackson dropped a split decision to Army West Point's Teja Chada in a 139-pound quarterfinal, while junior Christian Hughes dropped a 195-pound decision to the Black Knights' Kenyatta Brannon. Fellow junior Justin Bonilla suffered a split decision loss to Navy's Jace Nelson in the 175-pound bracket, while classmate Freddy Ceciliano Jr [119 pounds, West Virginia's Noah Gorospe] and sophomore Oude Owino [185 pounds; Washington's Chisom Okafor] lost by decisions in their respective contests.
The Falcons, who have six men and the entire women's roster still in contention, return to Sonestra Charlotte tomorrow [April 10] night for the semifinal round of competition.
RING 1 RESULTS
119-lbs.: Noah Gorospe [West Virginia] dec. Freddy Ceciliano Jr [Air Force]
125-lbs. [w]: Madei Soluren [Air Force] RSC-2 Genevieve van der Wal [Utah]
132-lbs.: Russell Klug [Air Force] dec. Brandon Freeman [Army West Point]
147-lbs.: Noah Gilley [Air Force] dec. Santos Riccardi [Army West Point]
195-lbs.: Kenyatta Brannon [Army West Point] dec. Christian Hughes [Air Force]
RING 2 RESULTS
139-lbs.: Teja Chada [Army West Point] dec. KJ Jackson [Air Force]
156-lbs.: Neo Takazawa [Air Force] dec, Donovan Quinn [Penn State]
165-lbs.: Ellison Taylor [Air Force] dec. Elijah Gates [Army West Point]
175-lbs.: Jace Nelson [Navy] dec. Justin Bonilla [Air Force]
185-lbs.: Chisom Okafor [Washington] dec. Oude Owino [Air Force]
Sophomore Madei Soluren, the only member of the women's team to compete on Thursday, easily earned her spot in the semifinal round after she forced the referee into stopping her 125-pound contest with Utah's Genna van der Wal in the second round.
Sophomore Russell Klug and junior Ellison Taylor won their bouts over contenders from Army West Point in unanimous fashion, as Klug swept the judges' votes in his 132-pound win over Brandon Freeman and Taylor received all the scorecards in his 165-pound contest with Elijah Gates. Overall, Air Force collected three victories over the Black Knights, as junior Noah Gilley earned a split decision win over Santos Riccardi in a 147-pound bout. Senior Neo Takazawa rounded out the Falcons' list of first-round winners, as he captured the split-decision win over Penn State's Donovan Quinn in the 156-pound bracket.
Five other Falcons also competed on Thursday, as they represented the Academy at the national championships. Senior KJ Jackson dropped a split decision to Army West Point's Teja Chada in a 139-pound quarterfinal, while junior Christian Hughes dropped a 195-pound decision to the Black Knights' Kenyatta Brannon. Fellow junior Justin Bonilla suffered a split decision loss to Navy's Jace Nelson in the 175-pound bracket, while classmate Freddy Ceciliano Jr [119 pounds, West Virginia's Noah Gorospe] and sophomore Oude Owino [185 pounds; Washington's Chisom Okafor] lost by decisions in their respective contests.
The Falcons, who have six men and the entire women's roster still in contention, return to Sonestra Charlotte tomorrow [April 10] night for the semifinal round of competition.
RING 1 RESULTS
119-lbs.: Noah Gorospe [West Virginia] dec. Freddy Ceciliano Jr [Air Force]
125-lbs. [w]: Madei Soluren [Air Force] RSC-2 Genevieve van der Wal [Utah]
132-lbs.: Russell Klug [Air Force] dec. Brandon Freeman [Army West Point]
147-lbs.: Noah Gilley [Air Force] dec. Santos Riccardi [Army West Point]
195-lbs.: Kenyatta Brannon [Army West Point] dec. Christian Hughes [Air Force]
RING 2 RESULTS
139-lbs.: Teja Chada [Army West Point] dec. KJ Jackson [Air Force]
156-lbs.: Neo Takazawa [Air Force] dec, Donovan Quinn [Penn State]
165-lbs.: Ellison Taylor [Air Force] dec. Elijah Gates [Army West Point]
175-lbs.: Jace Nelson [Navy] dec. Justin Bonilla [Air Force]
185-lbs.: Chisom Okafor [Washington] dec. Oude Owino [Air Force]
Players Mentioned
185 lbs.
/ Boxing
119 lbs.
/ Boxing
147 lbs.
/ Boxing
195 lbs.
/ Boxing
132 lbs.
/ Boxing
147 lbs.
/ Boxing
195 lbs.
/ Boxing
125 lbs.
/ Boxing
175 lbs.
/ Boxing
165 lbs.
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